Cable-railway transfer mechanism



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

-T. A. IBAOH.

CABLE RAILWAY TRANSFER MECHANISM. No. 395,276. Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

N. PETERS Pbolo-Lnhujrapher, Washington, 0, c.

- (No Model.) 2 Sheetssheet 2.

. %n% K 3%. 1 W ZZ M N. PETERS. Phomulhu mpher. Washingmn. D. c.

THEODORE A. IBACII, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CABLE-RAILWAY TRANSFER MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,276, dated December 25, 1888.

Application filed October 26, 1888. Serial No. 289,244. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE A. IBACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pemisylva-nia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cable-Railway 'lransfer Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to be a sufficiently full, clear, and exact description thereof as to enable others skilled in the art to make and use the said invention.

This invention relates to apparatus for the propulsion of cars on cable railways, and has for its object the easy and safe transfer of cars from one line to another intersecting or branching line.

This invention consists in a supplementary endless cable-driving motion from the main endless cable, and in fixtures for guiding and operating the same, shown in the annexed drawings, and hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a plan of two cable railways intersecting each other an d having a connecting curve with this invention applied thereto; Fig. 2, a sectional. elevation in the direction indicated bythe dotted line on; Fig. 3, an enlarged view of the mechanism for operating the switch and engaging the supplemental cable; and Figs. 4 and 5 show modifications of the grooved wheels for propelling the supplemental cable.

1 represents the rail of a mainline; 2, the rail of the cross-line; 3, the rail of the connecting curve; 4, the conduit of the main line having the usual slot; 5, the passage of the gripping mechanism; 6, the conduit of the cross-line; 7, the slot therein; 8, the conduit of the curve, and El the slot therein. The rails and upper part of the conduit in Fig. 1 are shown in dotted lines to facilitate the view of the portion beneath containing the working parts of the invention.

The cable of the main line (marked 10) is supported on rollers or wheels 11 in the usual manner.

The cable of the cross-line (marked 13) is supported on wheels 14 and passes around a wheel, 15, (so as to turn it,) located some distance from the curve I11 order to facilitate the turning of the wheel 15 and avoid the chafing and wear between the sides of the cable 13 and wheel 15, an additional wheel, 16, may be advantageously used, around which the cable 13 passes, so that the cable 13, passing onto the wheel 15, is guided or is transferred by the wheel 16 to the other side of the wheel 15, in position to be delivered from the wheel 15 clear of the portion approaching the wheel. To the side of the wheel 15 and turning therewith is attached a second grooved wheel, 17, upon which a supplemental endless cable, 18, is placed, so as to move therewith. The upper side of the endless cable 18 passes upon guiding-rollers 19 parallel to the slot 9, and returns upon suitable guiding-rollers, 20, to the grooved wheel 17.

The function of the cable 18 is to propel cars upon the curved track from the main line to the intersecting line.

The wheel 17 should be of the same diameter as the wheel 15 when it is desired to preserve the same velocity on the curve 3 as upon the line 2. Chen a greater velocity is desired, it should be larger, as shown in Fig. 4-, an d when less velocity is desired it should be smaller than the wheel 15, as shown in Fig. 5.

At the point of divergence of the inner curved track, 3, from the rails 2, where the curve branches from the main line, a movable switch-point, 2-;t, is insertedfand also another switch-point, 22, at the point of divergence of the slot 9 from the slot 7, which two switchpoints are connected by a rod, 23, compelling them to shift simultaneously.

The grips of the cars are moved laterally at the approaches to the curve by means of the offset 21 in the slot, and there released from the main cable, both the cables 13 and 18 at this part of the route being capable of a rising and falling motion, which is controlled by rollers 25 and. 26, operated by levers 27 and 28 and links 29 and 30,connected to the lever31,

controlling the switches 24 and 22, and connected thereto by the link 32, angle-lever 33, and link 34. The direction of the motion of the several cables 10, 13, and 18 is indicated by the arrows marked thereon in the drawings.

The operation of this invention is as follows: The cables 10, 13, and 18 being in motion, a car on the rails 22, having its grip upon the cable 13 when the switch-points 2-1 and 22 are set to open the straight rails, continues to hold on the cable 13, which is then held up within reach of the grip by reason of the ope 'ation of the roller 25, levers 27, links 29, lever 31, link 32, lever 33, link 34, switch 24L, link 23, and switch 22. When the car on tracks 2 2 is to be switched off by the curve 3 3 to therails l 1, the position of the lever 31 is reversed and the switches 24 and 22 are opened to the curve 3, and at the same time the rollers 26 raise the cable 18 into the reach of the car-grip, and rollers 25 lower the cable 13 below the reach of such grip, and the car is drawn by the cable 18 upon the curve 3 to the main-line track 1, the grip on the cable 18 being released where the cable 18 descends upon the guiding-roller 20, and the grip then engaging the cable 10 of the main line. By this invention the necessity for animal power or other motive force applied above ground at transfers is avoided.

Having described my invention and the mode of operating the same, what I claim is 1. In a transfer for cable roads, a secondary cable propelled by primary cable, in combination. with rollers adapted to raise and lower the cables alternately, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a transfer for cable railways, the combination, with switch-points arranged to turn cars alternatively to the curved orstraight track, of a mechanism for raising and lowering alternatively the cables for propulsion upon either track, substantially as set forth.

3. In a transfer for cable railways, the combination of switch-points arranged to turn cars alternatively to diverging tracks with a raising and lowering mechanism arranged to alternatively place the cable for each track in reach of the car-grip, one of said cables deriving motion from the other cable, substantially as set forth.

THEO. A. IBACH.

\Yitnesses:

,J. DANIEL EBY,

ALEX H. SIEGEL. 

